1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fender, and more particularly to a simply structured and easily operable quick-release fixing structure which is capable of assembling the fender onto the front fork of a bicycle or disassembling it therefrom by a simple pressing operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional removable fender D is fixed to a front fork A of a bicycle by a tightening device B and a quick-release fixing structure C. The fender D is provided on its surface with a circular connecting portion D1 which is formed around the periphery thereof with four arc-shaped cavities D2, and at both ends of each of the arc-shaped cavities D2 are formed with an inner wall D21 and an opening D22.
The quick-release fixing structure C includes a control member 10 which is formed with a mounting portion 101 and a handle portion 102, and a disc member 11 disposed at the top of the mounting portion 101. The disc member 11 is formed with an annular end surface 111 against which an abutting end A1 of the front forth A is pressed. Below the mounting portion 101 is disposed a connecting member 12, and the mounting portion 101 is provided with four L-shaped engaging blocks 103 around the connecting member 12. The connecting member 12 is formed with a central hole 121. The connecting member 12, the mounting portion 101 of the control member 10 and the disc member 11 are inserted on a bolt 13, and then the tightening device B is screwed with the bolt 13 and then fixed in the front fork A by pressing against the inner surface of the front fork A, so that the fender D is fixed to the front fork A in such a manner that the four engaging blocks 103 of the control member 10 are engaged in the four arc-shaped cavities D2 of the fender D, and the ends of the engaging blocks 103 are inserted in the openings D22 of the arc-shaped cavities D2.
Pulling the handle portion 101 of the control member 10 can install or disassemble the fender D. However, this conventional fender still has the following disadvantages:
1. The engagement of the control member 10 with the fender D is achieved by rotating the mounting portion 102, and in assembly, it is not easy for the user to see the positions of the engaging blocks 103 by looking from above the control member 10, so the user has to try to align the arc-shaped cavities D2 with the engaging blocks 103, then rotates the control member 10 to fix the fender D. however, rotating the control member 10 may cause misalignment of the fender D with respect to the wheel of the bicycle. Therefore, the user has to pull the handle portion 102 of the control member 10 again to readjust the position of the fender D even after the fender D is fixed.
2. The quick-release fixing structure C is engaged with the fender D in a rotating member (by pulling the control member to rotate), and the engaging structures of the quick-release fixing structure C and the fender D are located in the rotating direction, so the engaging structures or the handle portion 102 of the control member 10 are likely to be damaged if the user pulls the handle portion 102 too hard.
3. since the operation of the quick-release fixing structure C is controlled by the rotation of the control member 11, it has to use the disc member 11 and the connecting member 12 to prevent the control member 11 from being worn out by the front fork A and the fender D during rotation, which makes the structure complicated and increases the cost.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.